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Vermont Agency of Transportation
Archaeological and Historic Resources |
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New Lease on Life |
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It is a well-known and well-documented fact that historic barns are disappearing from the Vermont landscape at an alarming rate. The Dressler Barn in Windsor VT, is one barn that two organizations are working together to save from this fate.
In a collaborative project between the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VAOT) and Historic Windsor Inc., a non-profit preservation organization based in Windsor, the historic Dressler Barn has the opportunity to undergo a major renovation.
The intent of the project is to re-use the old barn as a storage facility, maintenance garage, and repair shop for the VAOT while maintaining its original appearance. The Dressler Barn became part of the Vermont landscape nearly 200 years ago as a livery stable for the Pavilion Hotel in Hartland, VT. The original barn was an English style barn. Typically, English barns have a thirty-foot by forty-foot floor plan, a simple gabled roof, and a pair of large hinged doors. The cupola and Italianate detailing on the Dressler Barn, which were added in the late nineteenth century, give the barn the appearance of being newer than it really is. Around the turn of the century the barn was moved to the town of Windsor. |
 
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Moving a barn is a monumental task, even by today's standards. The fact that the Dressler Barn was moved from Hartland to Windsor in the nineteenth century, is testament to the resourcefulness and indomitable spirit of the New England farmer. Today the barn stands at a bend along Vermont Route 5, providing travelers with a striking view of Vermont's agrarian landscape. The adaptive re-use of the Dressler Barn will greatly enhance the scenic character of the area. |
 Click here for larger image plans for the proposed project. |
The Dressler Barn's connection to the landscape is very important. It represents the region's agricultural history but the significance of this barn does not stop there. It also has noteworthy connections to, of all places, Hollywood.
The barn was once owned by one of this nation's first film actress Marie Dressler. Famous for her role in the 1933 comedy Tugboat Annie, Dressler also won an academy award for her role in the 1931 film Min and Bill.
She later became active in the women's suffrage movement. Dressler used the barn, located near her summer home in Windsor, as a stable for her horses. |
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Like many less famous barns in VT, this barn eventually found itself in a state of grave disrepair.
It was bought by the VAOT over 20 years ago and tenuously preserved from the wrecking ball. Local residents began to fear that the barn had become a dangerous liability that could collapse at any time.
The VAOT and Historic Windsor Inc. are working toward securing an Enhancement grant to transform the old barn into a useful and beautiful part of the landscape once again.
Through this project, VAOT historic preservation specialists are hoping to give the Dressler Barn a new lease on life and save a 165-year-old piece of Vermont and American history. Through the Enhancement Program the renovated barn will maintain its original visual character while functioning as a useful facility in the 21st century. |
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For further reading on barns of New England, check out Thomas Visser's book"A Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings." This book is published by the University Press of New England. |
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Article and Photos by Chris Slesar, Archaeologist. |
